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When I was growing up, my mom used to make a tasty sweet treat with azuki beans. The beans are small and red, and when cooked for a long time with some sugar, the result is a delicious red bean sauce we ate with mochi or atop shaved ice. Yum!
But these little beans work double-time as a potent beauty secret that Japanese women have been using for centuries to keep their skin soft, smooth and blemish-free. When ground into a fine powder, these beans act as a gentle exfoliator that won't damage or over dry your skin. And luckily, it's simple to make:

What You Need:

-Azuki Beans
-Coffee Grinder
-Water

Instructions:
-Use the coffee grinder to grind the azuki beans into a fine powder. Put a few of teaspoons of the powder in a bowl, mixing in 1-2 teaspoons of water to make a paste.
-Wet your skin with warm water and gently rub the paste over your face or body. Rinse. To use as a mask, just make a thicker paste by using less water.
-Store the leftover azuki powder in an airtight container for later use!

All of this will cost you a mere few bucks. Let's hear it for beans, beans the magical fruit!

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About Us

Anne Ichikawa

I’ve worked as an Entertainment Editor at ELLEgirl and Teen People magazine, which basically means I got paid to listen to music, interview celebrities and watch movies (I know, hard gig). I can be found roaming the streets of Brooklyn, NY, listening to Spotify and singing to myself.

Melissa Walker

I’m a former ELLEgirl and Seventeen Prom editor who’s written for COSMOgirl!, Teen Vogue, Glamour, New York and other magazines. I’m the author of eight young adult novels. including the Violet on the Runway trilogy, Lovestruck Summer, Small Town Sinners and Unbreak My Heart.